Newly elected South Korean President Lee Jae-myung made his first international appearance this week at the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada, aiming to assert South Korea’s democratic recovery and economic ambitions. Though not a G7 member, Lee was invited by host Prime Minister Mark Carney and used the platform to pitch South Korea as a future “G7 Plus” member.
Lee’s visit was overshadowed by President Donald Trump’s early departure due to the Israel-Iran conflict. A planned meeting between Lee and Trump did not take place, raising concerns about Lee’s diplomatic standing and his ability to solidify ties with key allies. Lee’s team stated he still hopes to meet Trump during the upcoming NATO summit in the Netherlands on June 24–25.
Lee assumed office after a turbulent domestic period, winning a special election following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who attempted to impose martial law. Critics questioned Lee’s decision to leave South Korea so early in his presidency, but he framed the G7 visit as a vital step in restoring international confidence in South Korea’s stability.
National security adviser Wi Sung-lac emphasized that G7 leaders welcomed Lee’s attendance and praised South Korea’s democratic restoration. Still, observers noted Lee’s limited foreign policy experience and criticized the lack of substantial engagement at the summit, especially in the absence of his anticipated meeting with Trump.
Lee’s international posture has raised alarms among some conservatives. His perceived openness toward China and North Korea, especially in light of feeling sidelined by U.S. leadership, continues to be a point of concern. During his campaign, Lee addressed this by hiring seasoned diplomats, including Wi, formerly South Korea’s ambassador to Russia.
While at the summit, Lee promoted a plan to make South Korea the world’s leading artificial intelligence hub. His proposal includes tax breaks, regulatory reforms, and a massive private-sector investment fund aimed at national AI transformation. He also committed to upgrading South Korea’s energy infrastructure to meet AI’s power demands and securing critical rare earth minerals—a key area of alignment with the G7’s strategy to reduce dependency on China.
Lee engaged G7 leaders on North Korean security issues, including talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Despite some critical reactions, Lee positioned South Korea as an ambitious, forward-looking player in global economic and security discussions.
